If you don’t know the accomplishments of Royce Gracie, put down your phone, Darce choke yourself to sleep, and when your brain reboots, do your BJJ research!
One of my favorite books is an underrated book called “Ultimate Fighting Techniques Volume 2. Fighting From The Bottom” by Kid Peligro and the man himself, Royce Gracie.
The best part of the book is not the photos of techniques (which video explains better) but the written jiu-jitsu philosophy that helps you see some aspects of jiu-jitsu more clearly.
Below is one of my favorite pieces of jiu-jitsu wisdom from Royce Gracie.
Today, too many fighters are obsessed with fancy moves and never learn the basics. At a tournament recently, a white belt was using a very sophisticated guard and giving his opponent a hard time. But it turned out that it was the only move he knew. Once the guy on top passed his guard, he quickly mounted and submitted the white belt.
Many of today’s fighters have skipped over the basics and proceeded to advanced moves. That isn’t the problem if they fight mirror images of themselves, but when they face more complete fighters, their weaknesses are glaring. How else can you explain the fact that many advanced competitors fall for the most basic chokes and arm locks?
Don’t worry about learning many new moves. Instead, practice and understand the moves you do know to the point that they are “in your blood.”
Is your jiu-jitsu based on a solid foundation of the basics? Be like Royce!
